


this is home

by burnthepages



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Fight me he deserves it, Gen, How Do I Tag, I Made Myself Cry, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Like very short, Neji's alive and well, Sadness, Short One Shot, Sophie made me do it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 07:52:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16404326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burnthepages/pseuds/burnthepages
Summary: Neji Hyuuga returns home after the war, after everyone thought he was dead.





	this is home

**Author's Note:**

> What can I say? HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHIE! This is hella short, but I revised every sentence like three times so I hope you like it anyway.

Neji leans against the tree behind the memorial, breathing in the cold winter air, listening to the approaching footsteps of his sister. When he first returned to Konoha he almost didn't believe how many people had actually mourned him. The friends from his childhood, the teachers, even strangers who had never even met him before the war. His name is still etched into the tall stone, a few letters among many. It's weird, to know he jumped off of death's blade, to know he spent two years without any recollection of his past, leading a normal life while Konoha moved past him.

Had Sasuke not found him in the little fishing village he'd begun to call his home, he would have never remembered his true name, his true home, his purpose. When the Uchiha led him back to Konoha, claiming Neji was a ninja, a very skilled one, Neji was sure he'd followed some kind of lunatic. Sasuke returning was always a big deal so there were already a few people gathered in front of the gates when Konoha rose up on the horizon. Confusion set in as soon as he noticed faces he'd dreamed about, people he had been sure only existed in his mind.

Of course it was Naruto who found his voice first after Neji's sudden appearance alongside Sauske had stunned everyone else speechless. "I can't believe it," he gasped and pushed through the gathered crowd, not minding the small sounds of surprise people gave when he elbowed them away. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at his friend's behavior, but remained silent.

Stumbling out of the crowd, Naruto stared at Neji, mouth gaping and wide open. He sprinted forward without warning, enveloping Neji in a crushing hug as soon as he reached him. All air left Neji's lungs at the impact and he awkwardly patted Naruto's back, wondering why this unknown man was sobbing in his arms, why he himself felt tears collecting at the corners of his eyes.

The memories returned later. Tsunade had to work around a few memory-wiping jutsus someone had used on Neji, but the moment her fingers left his skull, his past life flooded back, the thick walls torn down and every part of him aching with the knowledge that he was indeed alive, breathing. The people sitting beside him were strangers no longer. He recognised Naruto and Hinata, their fingers intertwined as they watched him with careful, expecting eyes. Tsunade moved to a chair further back, peeling the rubber gloves from her delicate hands.

Now it was Neji's turn to stare, everything he could have said wiped away by the gurgles of the small being held in Hinata's arm. It had obnoxiously blond hair, just like Naruto, but Neji saw it in the set of its eyes, the plump lower lip. This child was half Hyuuga, a part of his family. Tears dripped down his chin, but he didn't mind at all. 

"I thought we'd never see you again. Your body was lost after..." Hinata furrowed her brows, her makeup trailing down her cheeks in small rivulets, salty water mixing with pigments. Another sound from below made her look down, her features morphing into a smile so bright, Neji was sure he had never seen her smile with that much happiness before. "Neji, I want you to meet our son, Boruto."

Still overwhelmed, Neji reached out, fingers shaking, and brushed over the very soft skin of his nephew's cheek. He had whisker marks there, just like his father, the Kyuubi's handprint on this little bundle of life. It made Neji want to curse the chakra being, but then he reminded himself that Naruto and the nine-tailed beast had long ago joined forces, had long ago made peace with the fact that their life forces were intertwined with each other.

"He's beautiful," Neji said and it was enough for Naruto to stand up and wrap all three of them in a protective hug. The warmth of family seeped deep into Neji's bones and a smile turned up the corners of his lips. He was back where he belonged.

 

Hinata is humming, her voice nearing. Neji pushes himself away from the rough bark of the tree, his head light without the weight of his long hair. It's still only at his jaw, but it will grow back, and that's all that counts. He has his whole life still stretched out before him. And when Hinata comes close enough, he can see the very bright bundle of chakra in her stomach and a cry of joy leaves his lips.


End file.
